1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to roy hoops and, in particular, to a toy hoop which produces sounds during use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Toy hoops which the user rotates about a part of his or her body, e.g., his or her waist, have been known for many years. Such hoops are commonly known as "hula hoops". Although hula hoops enjoyed great success in the 1950's and 1960's, in recent years, the public has had only moderate interest in this type of toy.
Over the years, various patents have issued directed at improving the characteristics of the hula hoop. For example, Melin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,079,728, discloses adding ribs or grooves to the inside surface of the hula hoop to increase the friction between the hoop and the user. Similarly, Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,556, discloses placing a series of light bulbs inside the hoop. See also, Chao, U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,264.
Although the idea of adding lights to a hula hoop theoretically could increase interest in this type of toy, it is significant to note that the user can only somewhat see the lights in use. Typically, the user keeps his or her eyes facing forward when playing with a hula hoop. In this position, the lights proposed by Williams can only be seen at the periphery of the user's vision. As a result, to the present inventors' knowledge, the lighted hula hoop has not been commercially accepted.